Passing of WBro William Maximillian Griggs CBE, PPSGW, C of M

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of WBro Max Griggs, CBE, PPSGW, C of M to the Grand Lodge Above on Thursday the 8th of July 2021, only a week after the loss of Barbara, his beloved wife of over 60-years.

Commenting on the news, the Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Max Bayes, said:

I have known Max and his family throughout my life, right from our early childhood days together in Wollaston. He has been a wonderful friend and brother in Freemasonry; also, a tremendous supporter of the Province and all we have tried to achieve over many years.

William Maximillian Griggs was initiated into Pemberton Lodge No 3049 on the 7th of January 1971 by his father WBro Bill Griggs (Bill was Master of the Lodge at that time) and remained a member for over 50-years.

In April 1973, WBro Max became a joining member of Heigham Lodge No 8486, progressing through the offices till he became Worshipful Master in 1979. This was followed by number of years as Almoner and Chairman of the Heigham Charities Association.

In 1981, Max became a member of the Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire Lodge of Installed Masters No 3422. In 2007, he also became a founding member of Wollaston-based Wilavestone Lodge No 9829.

In 1985, Max was honoured with his first Provincial appointment, that of active Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, a rank currently held by his son, WBro Stephen Griggs. Max went on to receive subsequent promotions to Past Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1989 and Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden 1996.

In September 1995, thanks to Max’s most generous benefaction, work on Freemasons' Hall at St George’s Avenue, Northampton was finalised with the completion of outstanding building work to a room previously known as the ‘Fallow Temple’, allowing the room to be used as both a lodge room and dining room. The room was subsequently named The William Griggs Room in honour of Max’s late father, who was a Founder of Heigham Lodge and greatly respected throughout the Province.

Despite the move of the Provincial headquarters to Sheaf Close, Northampton 2013, this honour has continued with the main dining room at Sheaf Close also being called The William Griggs Room.

Taking WBro Max’s generous contributions into account, it comes as no surprise that he was awarded The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master’s Certificate of Merit in 2015.

A member and Past Master of the Croyland Lodge of Mark Master Masons No 594, Max was appointed to Mark Grand Rank in 2008.

The joint funeral for WBro Max and his wife took place at St. Mary’s Church, Rushden on the 22nd of July 2021. It was attended by a large congregation of family and friends; also, brethren representing the Province, Heigham and Wilavestone Lodges.

Excerpts from My Dad's Eulogy by WBro Stephen Griggs, ProvAGDC

William Maximillian Griggs was born on the 19th of September 1938, the only child of Bill and Winifred Griggs at their home in Raunds.

He attended Wollaston County Primary School, then when his father returned from the war, he decided that young Max could do with a bit of toughening up, so he was moved to Chicheley Hall Boarding School. After 3-years there, he went to Rushden Secondary Technical School, where he started to learn all about shoemaking, which was then furthered by a City and Guilds course at Northampton College of Technology. It was whilst he was at Rushden College, in early 1956, that my parents first met. They both used to frequent the Windmill Club in Rushden, where every fortnight a Big Band used to play, and young people would go along, meet up, chat and dance. This would have been at the start of the rock and roll era, and it must have been a pretty exciting time to be a teenager. All the boys apparently used to sit on one side of the hall, and all the girls on the other. Max noticed Barbara and went over to ask her shyly if she would like to dance. She said yes, thankfully! They danced well together - it turned out that they’d both used the same dance teacher to learn (although at different times). Mum agreed to see him again, and so they began dating.

At age 19, in keeping with all young men in those days, Dad had to go away to do his National Service for 2-years, during which time he was tasked with the duty of packing parachutes in the RAF, in Geilenkirchen, Germany. Whilst there, he would send money back to my Mum, and the year after his return from National Service they got married on the 25th of June 1960 at St Mary’s Church, Wollaston. They honeymooned in a caravan at Caister-on-Sea, the start of a love affair with the Norfolk that endured throughout their lives. When they arrived on honeymoon, they found a telephone box and called home to say they’d arrived safely. Many years later they were driving past that old red box, and noticed that it was being decommissioned, so they enquired about it and ended up buying it, and it still sits in their garden!

A year after their wedding, I was born, and then in 1976 my brother John came along. They were amazing parents who gave us both very happy and secure childhoods. Our family is probably best known locally for its involvement in the shoe trade, most notably with regard to the Dr Martens brand. My Dad, who worked in the family company for the whole of his working life, for many years on the factory floor, took over as Chairman in 1980 from his Dad, Bill, which believe me was no easy task - really big boots to fill. However, Max rose to the challenge, and led the company to achieving 2 Queen’s Awards, and in the process being himself awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for Services to the Shoe Industry. What a grand day out that was. Not that he ever made a song and dance about it. He always carried on being himself, humble and kind, his feet firmly on the ground, always quick to attribute his success to those around him.

During all the successful times in the business, Mum and Dad were never afraid to share what they had worked for, be that charitably, and of course for Max in particular, through his time in local football, most notably as Chairman of R&D FC. From orchestrating the merger in 1992 of two rival clubs, Rushden Town and Irthingborough Diamonds, he really made something special, taking the club on a ride from the Beazer Homes League to the equivalent today of League 1. These were amazing times. A fabulous stadium was built, and with great people at the Club there was nothing that wasn’t done to the highest possible standard. There is so much that could be said about all this, but I think my Dad’s legacy is best represented by one of the many tributes:

He was just one of the nicest guys you could ever meet and formed an amazing football club that brought people and friendships together and created lifelong memories for so many including fans and players alike.

Being a Freemason was a great source of enjoyment to him for over 50-years. It gave him more confidence and self-belief, which was of great help when as previously mentioned he had to step up in the Company after his Dad died.

So yes, my Dad achieved so much in his life, but without Barbara by his side it all seemed meaningless to him. Both of them, I know, accepted death as something that is inevitable, and not to be feared. Nevertheless, when the end came for my Dad, it was quite a shock to the family, unlike with my Mum, who hadn’t been well for a couple of years and was really struggling. As tragic as it is to lose both of them, I do believe that we have the right to take comfort in the fact that on 25th of June 1960 they were united in church, side by side, as a couple starting their lives together, and here they are on 22nd of July 2021, again united in church, side by side as a couple, at the end of their lives together.

Could there be a more fitting end to this love story?

A Few Final Words from WBro John Rivett, PAGDC, Secretary of Wilavestone Lodge No. 9829

When the formation of Wilavestone Lodge was announced, WBro Max was one of the first to express a wish to be a Founder and was pleased to accept the position of Immediate Past Master for the first year of the Lodge. Although not taking a formal role in subsequent years, he maintained a great interest in the Lodge and officiated in 2007 for the initiation and degree ceremonies for his son Stephen and again in 2014 installing Bro Stephen as the 8th Master of the Lodge.

WBro Max Griggs was certainly a brother who lived respected and died regretted, and as one of the original signatories recorded on the Lodge Warrant, his name will always be on display whenever the Lodge meets and never forgotten.

RIP Max.